I Grieve
by Alceon
Summary: ONE SHOT. Would he ever say it? Does it need to be said? Okay, I wrote a Bulma death fic, so sue me! R&R.


DISCLAIMER: I do not own the names places or concepts of Dragonball/Z/GT. All copyrights apply and no money is made.  
  
SUMMARY: Would he ever say it? Does it need to be said?  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've read some B/V stories that have made me cry and cry. I wondered if I could invoke such emotion. Can I?  
  
I Grieve  
  
Vegeta stood in the corridor of the hospital and stared fixedly at the floor. This was no place to die. So cold, so...dead. To die in battle was glorious, to die protecting another was honourable but what was it to die in a bed in a white building, forgotten by many, remembered by few? And yet this was how many went. The sick and the old were left to die a forgotten death on the white linen of a hospital bed.  
  
Vegeta looked up abruptly at the door of room 166. The room that held...who? His mate? His wife? His...love?  
  
This was no place to die. Slowly, ever so slowly, he walked through the door. On the stark white bed lay Bulma, sick, dying. He immediately averted his eyes.  
  
"Look at me," came Bulma's voice soft but authoritative.  
  
Vegeta looked up automatically, so used to her voice. So used to obeying her for the simple pleasure of seeing the satisfaction in her eyes. Vegeta had often thought that she could have commanded armies given the correct circumstances.  
  
He looked into her blue eyes, the eyes both their son and daughter had inherited. The blue eyes that twinkled with mischief even now. He looked away again gritting his teeth, clenching his fists, turning again, as he had so many times before, to his anger for comfort.  
  
"Is it so hard to look at me?" Bulma asked quietly.  
  
Vegeta shook his head and walked to her bedside, "No," he told her, "You just..." he trailed off.  
  
"Make you feel?" Bulma whispered.  
  
Vegeta shut his eyes then opened them as he felt the warmth of a hand against his own. He looked down as Bulma took his hand. Was she comforting him? Now? Vegeta had never felt shame before but he felt it then and it brought with it a torrent of unwelcome emotions.  
  
He sat on the edge of Bulma's bed and looked into her eyes. She looked back showing perhaps for the first time her fear, her fatigue. Vegeta realized with a start that it was only he that she would show such things, not even Goku whom she had known as a friend for much longer than him.  
  
"Remember what you told me when I asked you why you never tell me you love me?" Bulma asked abruptly.  
  
Vegeta nodded.  
  
"Tell me again," she whispered squeezing his hand as if it were a lifeline.  
  
Vegeta looked down and said in low voice for only her ears, "'Maybe one day I will say 'I love you' but I doubt it. How could I? To say it would be more than to admit it, it would be to identify it. And I, as of yet, have not been able to identify the extent of my love. To me its size is beyond what words can tell and thus I can never say it.' " He looked at her. " 'Look into my eyes and see it, feel it but never hear it. I will not speak them hollowly. When I say those three words, on that day you may know the extent of my love and on that day it will exceed the stars and the moon and the very universe. But until then feel it and I will show you how sweet a love with out scope can be'."  
  
"And how sweet it was," Bulma murmured with a smile.  
  
"Is," Vegeta corrected softly, "And will always be."  
  
Bulma looked at him, "Does it take such an event to make you feel?" she asked, "Do I have to die for you to say such things?"  
  
Vegeta stared at her then bowed his head. When he looked up his eyes glistened with just a hint of tears, "I'm so very sorry," he whispered.  
  
Bulma pulled at his hand and he leant down and embraced her, "It's all right," she said in his ear, "I always knew, you never had to say it."  
  
They stayed that way, holding each other for a long while, content. But then Bulma's arms started to droop and Vegeta sat up abruptly looking at her face and showing for the first time, fear.  
  
"No," he whispered his voice breaking, clutching her hand suddenly.  
  
"I love you," Bulma murmured, "Does your love exceed the universe yet?"  
  
Vegeta kissed her hand, "It always did," he said.  
  
"Say it," she said, "Please?"  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes then leant down and gathered her up into his arms holding her tight, "I love you," he murmured, "I love you. I love you."  
  
He put her head on his shoulder and even as she passed away he could feel the final warmth of her final tears on his skin. Clutching her tightly he buried his face in her hair.  
  
"I love you," he whispered again, "I love you."  
  
And Vegeta, prince of the Saiya-jin, sat cradling his beloved Bulma and began to cry.  
  
Please R&R. Thanks. 


End file.
